


In the End, Time Forever Favours the Young

by Anonymous



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 06:42:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6600805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Time-travel AU. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <em>They said the Apple is power. That it can give you what your heart desire.</em></p><p> </p><p>  <em>The codex of Altair warned of the Apple's seductive power and eventual subjugation.</em></p><p> </p><p>  <em>When Ezio picked it up, the Apple consumed him. </em></p><p> </p><p>  </p><p> </p><p>  <em>And spat him back at the heart of his memories. </em></p><p> </p><p>  <em>The most familiar, yet long forgotten memory.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	In the End, Time Forever Favours the Young

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Kinkmeme.
> 
>  
> 
> The title's from _Young_ by Vallis Alps. Beautiful song and lyrics.

They said the Apple is power. That it can give you what your heart desire.  
  
The codex of Altair warned of the Apple's seductive power and eventual subjugation.  
  
When Ezio picked it up, the Apple consumed him.  
  
  
  
And spat him back at the heart of his memories.  
  
The most familiar, yet long forgotten memory. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

"It's your familiy that cries for guards when there's a trouble, _codardo_! Afraid to handle things yourself?"

Confusion. Irritation.

These were the foremost emotions Ezio felt at the situation. He was back at the bridge in Firenze facing Vieri de Pazzi. His brain reflexively retorted back at the taunt.

"Your sister seemed quite satisfied with the handling I gave her earilier."

Vieri's face turned an interesting shade of fuchsia.

Ezio wondered if one of the abilities of the fabled Apple was replaying one's memory in the most vivid and exact manner. He supposed it could be useful. If one could remember any page of his life a lot of mistakes could be amended.

 

He was sharply jostled from his musings as a heavy stone smashed against his mouth. The jagged side of it slashed his lips open. And with that, instinct took over and he threw himself into the fray. He had no weapons with him but sturdy fists were enough in an unorganised brawl like this one. He fought with brutal precision honed from many years of fights although this young body was unused to such movements and slowed down his aim somewhat.

 

The part of his brain which was detached from the current fight wondered if small segments of memories could be changed like his skill on fight was detained and applied.

What if this was more than a memory; more like a moving reality built from memory. It could work on strategising and reviewing previous missions. If then, how much can he change? Is it, even, more-

 

" _Ehi!_ Behind you!"

 

Ezio sharply looked up as his fist smashed the opponent's jaws and made him careen away.

 

For the first time since this... _projection_ started, Ezio felt more than analysation and mild detachment. His heart thumped heavily in his chest.

 

"Federico?"

 

Federico nimbly avoided the engaging fights and stepped up to him.

"I wanted to see if baby brother had finally learned how to fight and look at this! Wherever did you learn to fight like that, fratellino?"

Ezio opened his mouth, shut it, closed the rest of the distance between them and pulled Federio into a crushing embrace.

"Federico."

The name fell from his lips quietly but it might as well have been a scream.

A heart pulsed strong and healthy underneath his hands.

"I missed you."

 

He breathed in the achingly familiar scent.

His brother grinned confusedly but patted him in the back and pulled apart. Ezio was reluctant to let go but let Federico examine his bloodied lips.

"We should get you to a doctor for that. The fight's almost over anway."

"But I have no money."

"Wasted it on women and wine, huh?" Federico laughed. "Just pick up some coins. There's bound to be something in their pockets."

They soon set out to the doctor's. All the way to the doctor, Ezio couln't help but stare at his brother. Federico was so _young_. His death made sure of that.

 

As it was, the Auditore siblings were quiet close. Ezio grew distant with Claudia after _that day_ what with him constantly moving around. On the rare occassions he stayed more than a handful of days in Monterrigioni, Claudia seemed to have changed more than his last stay and Ezio felt at a loss in how to treat his sister. Though she was precious to him he felt their worlds were disjointed and far apart. Which, was not exactly far from the truth.

 

But when they were young, the four siblings were quiet close. They adored each other and rarely had sibling rivalry and spats so common with most families. They had enough fights, sure, but there was no malice in it. When they grew older, Claudia got interested with boys and dresses while Petruccio was often sick and confined to the house. Ezio himself spent most of his days running after ladies and Federico was spending more and more time helping father. And so they grew less of a center of each other's world.

 

Except Federico. All his life, Federico was always there. From the moment Ezio was born, his older brother stood behind him. As a child, he chased his brother everywhere. When Ezio hit puberty Federico guided him through the confusions of being a man.

From him, Ezio learned how to play chess, climb and run through the rooftops, how to flirt with ladies. When he was troubled, Federico always lent him an ear and his advices mostly proved out to be sound.

Their father doted on his children and spent as much time he could spare with them, often playing with the kids, but many of his /business trips called him away and in place of his much loved but often absent father, Federico took on the mantle for the younger children.

 

After _the day_ , Ezio more than often felt incongruous. He felt, adrift, confused. He hated the fact that he was growing older whereas his brother was forever left in youth. Every time people slighted him with his age, he felt something simmer inside him. His subconscious never stopped recounting of what happened to his family. The time he spent, the time lost for half of his family. More than twenty years has passed and those empty slots never managed to fill up. He just got used to handling the feelings. Got smooth and polished. Experienced.

Walking beside Federico in this too young body, Ezio felt ethereal. His walk, renounced to be graceful and noble, he had emulated from his brother. The heaviness he gained from his long years as an Assassin but the base was all Federico. Seeing that familiar gait clouded his eyes for a moment.

 

He wondered for a moment if the Apple had shown him this memory in purpose but he really couldn't care less if this was all a hallucination as long as he can talk and look at his family again.

 

 


End file.
